CATECHOLAMINE MEASURES FOR DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH DEPRESSIVE-DISORDERS

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 41  (12) , 35-39
Abstract
Measurement of the catecholamine''s.sbd.norepinephrine, epinephrine, metanephrine, normetanephrine, vanilmandelic acid and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl-glycol (MHPG), show certain statistical correlations, with 3 clinical diagnoses. These conditions are as follows: bipolar and schizo-affective depression, unipolar nonendogenous depressions and schizophrenia-related depressions. More specifically, MHPG acts to predict which patients will require higher doses of medication, higher plasma levels and longer treatment periods to respond to treatment.